pentingnya first meal untuk anak2!!

amazed

Important first meal

Eating a healthy breakfast will keep a child energised until lunchtime.

One of the best gifts that a mother can give her child is inculcating the habit of eating breakfast. This morning meal is essential for children抯 health and development, both in the short as well as long term. Let抯 take a quick look at the benefits of breakfast for kids.

As the first meal after a long overnight fast, breakfast replenishes your child抯 energy and nutrients so that he is able to start the day right. A good breakfast makes your child energetic, alert and attentive.

Thus, he is ready to learn and participate in his school activities. Breakfast has also been found to improve mental performance in children. In a study, school administrators observed better behaviour, better school attendance and less discipline problems among the pupils who eat breakfast.

Furthermore, a well-balanced breakfast helps your child to fulfil about 30% of his energy and nutrient needs for the day. Eating breakfast is also a good habit that helps your child maintain a healthy bodyweight right into adulthood, which is important to avoid obesity-related diseases.

But are all breakfasts the same? And can any breakfast deliver the benefits that we have mentioned? To answer these questions, let抯 take a look at what a nutritious breakfast should be.

To replenish the body's energy, breakfast must contain energy-giving carbohydrates, preferably complex carbohydrates like whole grains, which is digested more slowly and releases energy in a sustained manner, compared to refined sugars.

This will give the child a steady stream of energy for his activities. A good breakfast will also have protein for the child抯 growth, a little fat as well as vitamins and minerals. Fibre, especially the insoluble type, is a bonus as it comes with a host of health benefits like keeping your child full for a longer time, improving his digestive functions and keeping his bowel movements regular.

Now, let抯 take a look at some breakfast foods that are preferred by kids. From a nutritional study conducted by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) on Malaysian primary school children, it was found that the preferred breakfast foods were nasi lemak, bread, fried rice and breakfast cereals. We shall discuss the nutritional contributions of these foods and if needed, find ways of making them better breakfast offerings.

Nasi lemak and fried rice are both energy-giving. The rice in these two dishes is a rich source of energy. Both can also be good protein providers if egg, chicken, meat or seafood is added.

For nasi lemak, ikan bilis can also be added, as it is an excellent source of calcium. Nevertheless, nasi lemak and fried rice are typically high in fat and salt. These dishes also lack dietary fibre. Home-cooked nasi lemak can be made healthier by using diluted coconut milk or substituting it with low-fat milk. Ginger and onion can be added to give nasi lemak a better aroma.

Try to reduce the amount of salt for seasoning and increase the dietary fibre by adding more vegetables like blanched kangkong or fresh cucumber. Similarly, reduce salt and oil in your fried rice and add more vegetables such as carrots, peas, corn or leafy greens. Serve these ,heavy